The Pinball Wizard vs Be Brave, Barb
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both games, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
The Pinball Wizard
Experience a unique blend of classic pinball physics and modern roguelite progression. Control a wizard as the ball, navigating dungeon-like tower floors, mastering flippers, and battling enemies. Collect upgrades and perks to enhance your abilities for each subsequent run.
- Classic pinball physics
- Roguelite progression system
- Handcrafted tower tables
- Pattern-driven boss battles
- Perks and upgrades
- Quick and deep mastery sessions
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Pinball—with a twist. Your wizard is the ball. Climb the castle tower one floor at a time, master the flippers, and outplay cunning enemies. Get stronger with perks and upgrades, then come back for “one more” at-bat. If you love classic pinball physics and modern progression, this is your game. WHY YOU'LL LOVE IT • A Pinball Feel: Snappy flippers, lanes, rails, bumpers—tight, readable physics. • Roguelite Progression: Level up, choose upgrades, and discover shot synergies. • Tower Tables: Handcrafted dungeon floors with hazards, secrets, and shortcuts. • Boss Battle: Pattern-driven arenas that reward precision and timing. • Quick runs, Deep Mastery: perfect for short sessions or longer sessions If you enjoy The Pinball Wizard, please leave a review—it helps more pinball fans discover the tower!
Be Brave, Barb
Embark on a gravity-bending platforming adventure as a cactus seeking lost positive affirmations. Navigate 100 challenging levels, defeat bosses, and uncover secrets in this unique quest to face fears and have a nice day.
- Gravity-bending platforming
- 100 levels
- 5 boss battles
- Collect positive affirmations
- Unlock secrets
- Controller support
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Barb the cactus has lost her positive affirmations! How will she get through the day? How will she face her fears? How will she defeat King Cloudy and his evil henchmen? I have no idea. Maybe you should play this gravity-bending platforming adventure right now and find out? • An all-new platforming adventure from the creator of Dadish • Walk all over the walls, ignore gravity, who cares • Lots of positive affirmations to find • 100 levels • 5 bosses • Questionable therapy • Secrets to unlock • Controller support • Funky tunes • Rad graphics • Face your fears • Have a nice day
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: The Pinball Wizard at 4.7 against Be Brave, Barb's 4.4. The Pinball Wizard also leads on ratings volume (1.1K vs 93) and update cadence (fortnightly vs monthly). Be Brave, Barb's advantage is review sentiment (76% vs 66%). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. The Pinball Wizard sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and Be Brave, Barb sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
The Pinball Wizard holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: The Pinball Wizard has 1.1K ratings behind it against 93, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews complicate that: 66% of The Pinball Wizard's written reviews are positive against 76% of Be Brave, Barb's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.
The Pinball Wizard ships an update fortnightly, Be Brave, Barb monthly. Both last shipped on November 8, 2026.
| Parameter | The Pinball Wizard | Be Brave, Barb |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.7 (1.1K ratings) — better | 4.4 (93 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 66.2% of reviews | 76.1% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 1.1K — better | 93 |
| Update frequency | Fortnightly — better | Monthly |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, iPod | iPhone, iPad, iPod |
| Requires iOS | 13.0 | 13.0 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 309 MB | 193 MB |
| Age rating | 9+ | 9+ |
| Developer | Frosty Pop | Thomas Young |
Customer experience
The Pinball Wizard
Be Brave, Barb
User reviews
The Pinball Wizard
From 1.1K App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 🎮 Fun and engaging gameplay
- 👍 Intuitive and responsive controls
- 🎨 Charming and polished visuals
- 💰 No ads or in-app purchases
- 🕹️ Unique RPG-like pinball mechanics
Room to improve
- 🐛 Occasional crashes and bugs
- 🕹️ Unresponsive or awkward controls
- 🕰️ Short main campaign length
- 🤕 Difficulty spikes and unfair enemy encounters
Be Brave, Barb
From 93 App Store ratingsWhat we love
- 👍 Challenging yet fun gameplay
- 🎨 Vibrant graphics and art style
- 🎵 Catchy soundtrack
- 💡 Unique gravity-based mechanics
- 🚀 Lots of levels (100+)
Room to improve
- 🐛 Inconsistent controls and unpredictable gravity
- ⏱️ Slow character movement
- 📢 Too many ads
- 🔨 Bugs causing crashes and level restarts
Bugs and requests
The Pinball Wizard
Reported bugs
3 issues- Stuck on loading screen
- Freezing when upgrading skills
- Inconsistent damage and enemy behavior
Requested features
4 requests- More levels and content
- Expanded character customization
- Landscape mode support
- Improved enemy and level design
Be Brave, Barb
Reported bugs
3 issues- Restore purchases not working
- Crashes when restarting levels
- Ads still appearing despite purchase
Requested features
3 requests- Gallery to view collected affirmations
- Ability to replay intro cutscene
- Improved level scrolling and responsiveness
In-app purchases
The Pinball Wizard
- Gift$0.99
- Gift$1.99
- Remove Ads$2.99
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- Gift$3.99
Be Brave, Barb
- Remove Ads$6.99
Questions
Is The Pinball Wizard free?
Is Be Brave, Barb free?
Which has better reviews, The Pinball Wizard or Be Brave, Barb?
Do The Pinball Wizard or Be Brave, Barb have ads?
Which is updated more often, The Pinball Wizard or Be Brave, Barb?
Other comparisons
